New '87 Runner project...

[KidJethro]

Hidy ho everyone. First post here, hopin to learn a few things. Just picked up my first toyota project. '87 4runner. Basically just a roller- no engine, trans or tcase. Best part was the price...all of it free. As I'm a toy n00b, I'm lookin for some advice on what I should run as far as trans and t-cases. My old rig was a huuge wide K5 truggy. Green stickered and trailer bound. Never touched pavement. Heres a pic of one of my attemps at Back Door-


Thats what I'm lookin for with this runner. It'll get a 4.56 (atleast) geared 60/14b combo. Already have the 14b. 4linked rear with coils, leafs up front. 44" tires ATLEAST. Would love to run the 47" ltb's. Anyways, the runner comes with a bunch of spare parts in the back. Theres a v-6 auto trans and t-case, a manual trans and t-case, and another t-case that I have no idea what it is. I want to run the auto as my old truggy had a 465/203/205 doubler- I'm lazy and don't feel like rowing the gears anymore. However, if the man trans setup would be better for what I want to do, then I'm not opposed. Whats involved in putting dual cases behind this auto trans I have? R15x I'm assuming? Is this setup 21 or 23 spline? I'm planing on either a 4.3 chevy or whatever toy v-6 would work...3.0 I think...Or 3.4...I cant remember. Will there be any issues running this combo? 4.3, r15x and dual cases? Whatever I do, everything will be purchased from Marlin. I'm close enough to drive down there- Grass Valley. After lookin at the info on the website, I figured I would have Marlin rebuild my auto if it needs it, (havent checked it out yet) and purchase the "Ready-To-Run V6 Gear Drive Dual Crawler" setup. Do I need/want the 4.7 geared rear case with an auto trans? Or would the 2.28/2.28 gearset work? I want the strongest combo possible and the piece of mind that comes with it. So I'm willing to spend the cash. How would you guys do this? Am I on the right track? Or should I look at a manual trans setup? If I were to do that, I'd want 23 spline everything and 4.7 in the rear case. 

[wslytoy]

 

[bigarms23]

I would opt to use the manuel trans and run 23 spline doubler from marlin this setup will work for both the 4.3chevyv6 or toyota 3.0to3.4 engine

[KidJethro]

I would opt to use the manuel trans and run 23 spline doubler from marlin this setup will work for both the 4.3chevyv6 or toyota 3.0to3.4 engine

Ok.....can you tell me why? I'm not tryin to be a smart ass....I just want to know why.


As for pics...lol, I would think we all know what a gutted white '87 4runner looks like. Kinda nasty lookin actually. I'll get pics for a build thread one of these days.

[AaronB]

its all up to you! if your comfortable running an auto than thats what you should run. Marlin will hook you up no matter what. Good luck and i hope to the build goes good.

[KidJethro]

I'm pretty much comfy running either....I'm just not knowledgable enough about toy stuff to know if theres a reason other than preference or cost to run one over the other. 

[KidJethro]

Been workin on the 14b and its truss-





Truss almost finished-
(camera phone pics)


My buddy John burnin some wire-




And this is were tonights progress ended-



This axle will be running 47's atleast....and I want to be able to jump the out of it, so no overkill comments. lol!
Gonna try to finish up the back sometime this week. Still have to incorporate the spring mounts. I'll do that when I'm getting ready to stick it in the rig though...Gonna build the proper pinion angle in the mounts. No ubolts either. There will be a 3/4 or maybe 1" thick plate with tapped holes and studs. The spring will sit in there then a top plate will clamp it all down. It'll all be built into/notched out of, the profile of the truss....it doesn't need to get any bigger.  Leaf spring setup temporary though. Good 1.25 rod ends for a link setup are expensive... My cost $90 for the big 1.25" Summit Machine Jimmy Joint. When the time comes, the leaf spring mounts will be modified into coil bucket things, or air shock mounts. I've also got a pretty cool idea for the top link mounts...Keeping with the idea of not breaking the profile of the truss as it is now.

Anyways....I found a sscreamin deal on a 40k mile goodwrench 350 small block. Totally stock...right down to the exhaust manifolds. I plan to run it on 'pane....Maybe 260hp? Probably somewhere clost to that on tq? Would a 23 spline dual case setup behind a th350 stand up to the the sb?

Stay tuned!

[DTB]

that truss is angry yo

[baconator]

that truss is HUGE!!! i like it. 

i see no reason why the toyota tcases would have a problem with a propane 350.  i'd want to run 23 spline shafts in both cases just to be safe. 

im gonna have fun watching this build

[Shoyrtt]

My friend's Runner has a sb with a R151 and dual 23 spline Marlin cases that he has been running for a number of years without any problems. BTW: He is talking about "downsizing" to a 4.3 to save on weight.
Here is an old picture from the previous owner:

[KidJethro]

Right on....thx for the good words. And the picture...That rig has a sb in it? Kudos to the builder, it looks stock. Sleeper= good!

If the 23 spline cases will handle the propane sb, then thats what it'll be. 350/TH350/dual 23 spline. What would the crawl ratio be with 4.56 axle gears and 4.7 gears in the rear case?

Today I started working on a pivoting leaf spring pad thingy-


5 1/2 x 3/4" Allen bolt and 1.5 solid stock with 3/4" hole.

The spring will be clamped together by 2 pieces of 5/8 or 3/4" plate and 4 bolts/nuts. The large piece if 1.5 stock will weld to the bottom of the bottom u-bolt clamp plate. The two shorter pieces will weld to the axle tube/truss, with the bolt ran through the center of all three. Like a hinge on steroids. That will allow the spring perches to pivot a small amount. I'll also be building a pretty cool wrap bar centered over the chunk. The truss will be tied into the pinion support housing with a large piece of 3/8" plate, leaving me a perfect flat spot to build a wrap bar off of. That should take away 95% of the "wrapping" force that the bolts on the pivot mount would see if there were no wrap bar. 


In other news....We just got a 6'x14' Torch Mate CNC plasma table setup at work. We're actually digging the forms and getting ready to pour a pad for the new "plasma table" room.  I've pretty much been humpin the bosses leg hopin to be the shops cnc plasma guru. 

[Shoyrtt]

Here is Marlin's explanation of determining your crawl ratio. 

Multiply your first gear, times your low range transfer case gear, times your differential gear. For example if you have:
3.93 first gear in your transmission
2.28 low range gear in your transfer case
4.10 gears in your differentials
Your crawl ratio is 3.93 X 2.28 X 4.10 = 37:1

If you have two transfer cases then you also multiply the number by the second case like this:

3.93 first gear in your transmission
2.28 low range gear in your first transfer case
4.70 low range gear in your second transfer case
5.29 gears in your differentials
Your crawl ratio is 3.93 X 2.28 X 4.70 X 5.29 = 223:1

[KidJethro]

Ohh...I guess I shoulda clarified... I know how to do the math, I just don't know the 1st gear in a th350, my lazy ass was hopin someone would do it for me.  

With a 700r4 it would be 3.06x2.28x4.7x4.56= 183.63:1

With a TH350 it would be 2.52x2.28x4.7x4.56= 123.14:1

Do I need 183:1 with a v8? I could see it with a 4cyl....

[KidJethro]

Alittle more progress tonight. Got the back of the truss finished, and welded to the tubes-










Took a loooong time to make up that back piece.  The front was easy, I just used a diff cover for the pattern. Scratched my head a bit trying to figure out a good way to make a template/pattern for the back. 

Tomorrow nights project will be taking the drums/hubs off so I can do something about the open ends of the truss. 

As long as my buddy doesnt flake out on delivering the 4runner to me, I should be able to get some pictrures by the end of the weekend. Hope to have the 14b installed on leaf springs by Sunday. 

[KidJethro]

Camera phone pic of the runner...


Better pics tomorrow. Sleeeeeeeeeeeep.

[Matt87pu]

Looks pretty good so far. This is going to be a nice build to watch and learn a few things out of.

[baconator]

i like that diff cover

[porkchop]

good looking beed on that truss man

[KidJethro]

After cleaning about 5lbs of rat out of it, and a pressure washing, this is what i'm workin with-









Not bad for no cash out of my pocket.  The interior was pretty much all there and all in great shape, except for the rat piss.  All of the carpet and seats got a deep cleaning with the 3000psi pressure washer and alooot of simple green. Worked out pretty good. I'm going to put it all back in there for the most part, would be nice to have a some what comfy interior. Except for the dash and center console....my buddy wanted the entire stock dash assembly, gauge cluster etc...there was even a thing in the center of the dash with an incline-o-meter thing....I guess it was a pretty rare option, so my buddy wanted it of course....so custom dash and centersole it is! Well, I probably more like a big dash/centersole/tranny hump thing. Kinda like the interior of an H1, but on a smaller scale.

[KidJethro]

14b dissasembled, cleaned, welded and prepped for discs-







One step at a time.

[KidJethro]

Got alittle bit done today-

Pinion support thingy roughed in



Spring pads and plates-

[fj40forlife]

sweet. wish I could stay with my 14 bolt. but it just to much money for right now

[Doof]

that thing is gunna be so nice when your done....stoked on your build and looking forward to following

[KidJethro]

Nothin new to report really. I started working on the leaf spring mounts on the truss, but after cutting a big notch out of the truss, I decided that I didn't like the way it looked, or would ever look with leaf springs....Decided to just wait till I have the $$$$ for these- http://www.summitmachine.com/index.php?p=customParts&cp=jj  and just do it once. Kinda lost motivation after the leaf spring mount fiasco...so I'm takin a few days break. 

Well, I almost forgot...I added these gussets-

[KidJethro]

So I spent a good hour just sittin in the 'runner looking at the dash/tranny tunnel area tryin to decide what I'm gonna do with it. A quick pic and a few minutes with paint and this is what I've come up with-


We have a roller at work, so rolling the long windshield bar radius won't be a problem. The black in the picture will probably be aluminum diamond plate powder coated low gloss textured black. The green I haven't decided, other than that it will be green..I have the ability to roll the long radius in any material- round, square or rectangle. Haven't decided on that yet. So what do you guys think? Good? Bad? Bacon?    haha...some of these smileys are pretty damn funny!

[DTB]

looks good to me 

[baconator]

So what do you guys think? Good? Bad? Bacon? 

definitly bacon.   it looks good to me.  are you gonna paint the outside to match your

[baconator]

heres another dash idea that might work good for you
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=30901.msg364542#msg364542

[KidJethro]

Started working on the interior alittle bit today- Camera phone pics taken in the middle of the night. I'll get better ones later.








1 1/4 .095. Need another full day to have it all framed in. Once I get this big as tranny hump/console thing all done, I'll go underneath and cut out the stock one with the plasma cutter, or an .045 wheel. I should end up with a pretty cool raised tranny tunnel big enough for chevy stuff. No body lifts here. I'm notching the firewall and moving the sb's distributor into the passenger compartment. I want weight as far back as I can get it, and as high up into the frame as I can get it. Also goin for the totally flat belly thing.

[baconator]

sweet thats gonna look awesome